Welcome to live text commentary of Stoke City versus Birmingham City from the Britannia Stadium.

Johnson now looks in trouble for Birmingham...

Dann fouls Fuller wide on the left...Pennant is over it...Huth gets a flick on but it's harmlessly over.

Birmingham have a throw on the left near the corner flag. Ferguson crosses but it drifts out for a goal kick.

Whitehead gets a corner on the right off Gardner. Etherington gets the crowd going before taking it...CHANCE FOR STOKE!!! Huth gets in front of Johnson but heads wide from seven yards.

First 'shot' of the half from Birmingham but Jerome's effort from 25 yards is well, well, wide.

Birmingham now have a bit of possession. But Higginbottom intercepts. Etherington flicks it into Fuller inside the box but it runs away from him through to Foster.

Ridgewell concedes a throw on the right. Delap time...cleared. Pennant charge down the right. Blocked for another throw by the corner flag. Johnson clears. Pennant crosses. Cleared.

No changes at the break from either side. And Stoke are back to what they do best. Pressuring the opposition.

Stoke get us underway in the second half from right to left.

HALF TIME: STOKE 1 (Huth 43) - 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY

ANOTHER STOKE CHANCE!!! Huth rises at the corner and meets it with a thunderous header. It looks to be going in but it hits Fuller's backside on the goal line and Birmingham clear!!

Pennant moves forward and crosses. It's blocked for a corner. Ridgewell hobbles off after a clash with Jones.

WHAT A SAVE!!! The ball falls to Delap inside the box on the left after a deep cross into the box. He steps back, shoots right-footed and Foster makes a brilliant save to his left.

GOAL FOR STOKE!!!! Collins cross from the left finds Whitehead on the edge of the box. He lays it off to Fuller who shoots. It's blocked by Dann but falls to Huth eight yards out and he smashes it through Foster into the net.

Birmingham break through Ridgewell. To Beausejour but he loses out to Huth. Up to Fuller. Who's fouled by Johnson. Free-kick in the centre circle. Faye is over it. Wide to Etherington....

CHANCE FOR STOKE!!! Jones heads on target. Fuller looks to deflect it from in front of Foster six yards out but the keeper does enough. Corner. Cleared.

Delap has a throw in the left. Johnson flicks it behind for a corner on the Stoke left. Pennant to take.

Five minutes to the break and we could do with a goal.

Gardner fouls Jones 40 yards out. Central for Stoke. It's a training ground move that really needs to stay there. Whitehead, Etherington and Pennant manage to knock it straight out for a goal kick.

Another long throw is cleared. Back with Etherington but Ferguson wins it back and looks to Zigic on the right wing. Faye comes inside. Fuller runs onto the long ball but Johnson cleans up.

Beausejour to Ridgewell. And the duo clear their lines. Faye launches it forward. It falls Whitehead from Fuller's flick. Whitehead shoots but Johnson blocks for the throw. Delap to take. Foster punches clear.